An Ethiopian Airlines B-767 aircraft en route from Addis Abbaba to Nairobi, Keya, was hijacked. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, three men forced their way ito the cockpit. Hijackers on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 demand passage to Australia, not believing the pilot when he explains they do not have enough fuel. The pilot tries to trick them by flying down the coast of Africa but the hijackers notice and force the pilot to fly east. The pilot obeys but heads for the Comoros Islands, near where the aircraft runs out of fuel.
The leading hijacker disengages the autopilot and tries to fly the aircraft himself but realizes he cannot control it. The pilot is put back in control and attempts to land the 767 on the water next to a beach at Grand Comoro Island but the aircraft breaks up as its wing hits the water; 125 people die.

About the documentary series Air Crash Investigation (also known as Mayday / Air Emergency) by National GeographicAir Crash Investigation shares stories of astonishing survival and heartbreaking disasters of some of the most tragic incidents in the history of aviation. Plane crashes and near-disasters from around the globe are investigated in meticulous detail, providing a look into what went wrong and if they could have been prevented. These events have helped change aviation safety and brought about some of the most important standard regulations that we know today. Survivor accounts and event re-enactments weave gripping tales while computer generated images (CGI) and expert testimony better explain the reasons behind the fatal or near fatal events.Watch other episodes in the series here